Study Guide: Renaissance and Reformations

Humanism -

A Renaissance intellectual movement focusing on human potential and accomplishments, often encouraging critical thinking over dogma.

Secularism:

A focus on worldly, non-religious matters rather than spiritual or church-led ones; a shift that lessened the Pope's political influence.

Vernacular:

Writing in the common language rather than Latin, making the Bible accessible to ordinary people.

Protestant:

A branch of Christianity that separated from the Roman Catholic Church in the 16th century, focusing on

Monotheism:

The belief in one god. In this context, reformers argued for direct worship of God, stripping away the roles of saints and the Pope as mediators.

Theocracy:

A government controlled by religious leaders. Examples include Calvinist Geneva.

Reform:

The 16th-century movement to alter or improve the Catholic Church, resulting in the creation of Protestant churches.

Abolish:

Martin Luther's call to end the practice of selling forgiveness for sins to reduce time in purgatory.

95 Thesis:

The list of arguments against the abuse of indulgences posted by Martin Luther on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg in 1517.

excommunication:

The action of officially excluding someone from participation in the sacraments and services of the Catholic Church.

Annul:

To declare a marriage invalid.

Heretic:

A person believing in or practicing religious heresy—meaning they disagreed with established Catholic Church doctrine.

Predestination:

The doctrine, heavily emphasized by John Calvin

Geocentric:

The Earth-centered model of the universe supported by the Church, placing the Earth at the center with the sun and planets orbiting it.

Heliocentric:

The sun-centered model developed by Copernicus, placing the sun at the center of the universe.

Francisco Petrearch:

Known as the "Father of Humanism," he initiated the Renaissance by recovering classical Greek and Roman texts, emphasizing secular learning and individualism.

Cosimo De’ Medici:

Banker and de facto ruler of Florence, he was a major patron who financed Brunelleschi and Donatello, fueling the artistic explosion.

Filippo Brunellschi:

Architect and engineer who designed the dome of the Florence Cathedral and developed the technique of linear perspective, transforming art and architecture.

Leonardo da Vinci:

The quintessential "Renaissance Man," he excelled in painting Mona Lisa engineering, anatomy, and invention.

Raphael:

Painter known for his perfection, grace, and classical interpretations, including The School of Athens in the Vatican.

Michelangelo:

Sculptor and painter who created the statue of David and the Sistine Chapel ceiling, embodying the high Renaissance spirit.

Niccolo Machiavelli:

Political philosopher who wrote The Prince, founding modern political science by analyzing power as it is rather than as it should be.

Johannes Gutenburg:

Invented the printing press with movable type around 1439, which allowed for the mass dissemination of ideas, fueling the Renaissance and Reformation.

William Shakspeare:

English playwright and poet known for profound human observation in works like Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet.

John Wycliff:

English theologian and early dissident who questioned the Pope's authority and translated the Bible into English.

John Hus:

Czech reformer who was burned at the stake for his opposition to the Catholic Church's practices, influencing Martin Luther.

Martin Luther:

German monk who started the Protestant Reformation by challenging the Catholic Church's doctrines and practices.

John Calvin:

A major French theologian who developed Calvinism and established a strict Protestant community in Geneva.

Henry VIII:

King of England who broke with the Catholic Church, establishing the Church of England.

MaryI or Bloody Mary:

Queen of England who tried to restore Catholicism, executing hundreds of Protestants.

Ignitus of Loyola:

Founded the Jesuit order Society of Jesus, playing a leading role in the Counter-Reformation.

Nicolas Copernicus:

Formulated the heliocentric theory, proposing that the sun, not the Earth, was the center of the universe.

Johannes Kepler:

Astronomer who developed the laws of planetary motion, confirming the heliocentric model.

Galileo Galilei:

Astronomer and physicist who used the telescope to prove the heliocentric theory, challenging traditional Catholic/Aristotelian views.

Francis Bacon:

Philosopher who popularized the inductive method, emphasizing observation and experimentation.

Isacc Newton:

Defined the laws of motion and universal gravitation, bringing together the work of Copernicus, Kepler, and Galileo.

Andreas Vesalius:

Founder of modern human anatomy, who challenged ancient medical ideas through direct dissection.

What is the Renaissance? Where did it begin? Who are the major people?

Rebirth of European culture, art, science, and learning. It began in 14th-century Florence, Italy. The major people were Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Donatello.

What is the artistic style known as perspective?

A technique used to create the illusion of three-dimensional depth and space on a two-dimensional surface.

What is the Protestant Reformation? When did it begin?

The Protestant Reformation a major 16th-century religious, cultural, and political upheaval that splintered Western Christianity. It began on October 31, 1517.

What are the sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church?

The sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church recognizes seven sacraments instituted by Christ to bestow grace.

What was the Counter Reformation?

The Counter Reformation is the 16th- to 17th-century revival of the Catholic Church, responding to the Protestant Reformation by reforming internal abuses, reaffirming doctrine, and expanding missionary work.

How were the Protestant Reformation and Counter reformation the same? and How were they different?

The Reformation broke away from Catholic doctrine, promoting salvation by faith alone, while the Counter-Reformation tightened Catholic orthodoxy, affirming papal authority and traditional sacraments.

What was the Council of Trent?

The Council of Trent is to clarify Catholic doctrine, refute Protestant teachings and reform internal church corruption, including, among other issues, the sale of indulgences.

What was the English reformation? Why did it begin?

The English Reformation was a 16th-century religious and political movement that severed the Church of England from papal authority, establishing a Protestant, state-run church headed by the monarch. It began in the 1530s, driven by King Henry VIII’s need to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon to secure a male heir